Samuel F.B. Morse

Samuel F.B. Morse was an American artist and inventor. Morse developed an electric telegraph. In the 1800s, it was the fastest way to communicate over long distances. He also created Morse Code—the system of dots and dashes that were used to spell out messages over the telegraph.

Samuel Finley Breese Morse was born on April 27, 1791, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was a gifted artist and received a very good education. While in college, Morse was introduced to the subject of electricity and found it fascinating.

After graduating from college in 1810, Morse took a job in publishing. However, he left to study painting in England in 1811. Morse returned to the United States in 1815 and took up painting portraits to earn his living.

In 1832 Morse thought of the idea of using electricity to send coded messages through wires. He probably made his first working model of an electric telegraph by 1835. He was still teaching painting during this time as well. However, by 1837, his full attention was on his new invention. By 1838 he had developed Morse Code. Within a few years Morse was able to win financial support from Congress for the first telegraph line in the United States. It ran from Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. The line was completed in 1844.

Morse was awarded a patent for his invention in 1854. (A patent is an official document that gives inventors control over who may use their invention.) Telegraph lines went up all over the United States and Europe. Morse grew wealthy and famous.

In his later years, Morse gave money to churches, colleges, and poor artists. By 1847 he had bought Locust Grove, an estate near Poughkeepsie, New York. It is now a national historic landmark. He split his time between Locust Grove and New York City, where he died on April 2, 1872.

During Morse’s lifetime, the world was greatly changed by the telegraph. Eventually, his fame was overshadowed by the invention of the telephone, radio, and television. His reputation as an artist, however, has grown. His portraits have been exhibited throughout the United States.

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